Tackling The Adverse Effects of Extreme Climatic Conditions - Ideas That Turn the San Francisco Bay Area into a Vibrant and Resilient Community

San Francisco is known for many things, chief among them being a popular tourist destination. Structures and monuments that include the Golden Gate Bridge and the Fisherman’s Warf are just two of the many that are frequented by tourists and natives alike. Then, of course, there are more natural attractions like the rolling hills, the summers and many beaches. It’s not all fun and games in San Francisco though.

The US city has borne witness and been a victim of countless tragedies and natural disasters. The fires and Great 1906 Earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake are perhaps some of the worst. People have reacted to all this though. Each disaster has only been an incentive to push forth new mediums that ensure the safety of lives and property in the event these disasters should break again.

CLICK TO ENLARGE (MVRDV and HASSELL+)

Large International Team Contributes to a Resilient Waterfront of the San Francisco Bay Area

HASSELL is at the forefront of this. Along with 10 international, multi-disciplinary partners that include MVRDV, Lotus Water, Deltares, Goudapel and 6 more, HASSELL has revealed a design strategy that is intended to act as a buffer against harsh and extreme climatic changes in the San Francisco Bay Area. The team has an idea that turns San Francisco waterfront communities into mediums that cater to and satisfy various needs of the people and communities as a whole. For one, these waterfront communities can be more than just public, recreational centers; but also emergency centers.

Everything HASSEL and the other contributors aspire to achieve is part of the Resilient By Design initiative, which is intended to see the birth of better and more efficient means of tackling the adverse effects of extreme climatic conditions. The team drew inspiration from the disasters of prior decades, primarily the 1906 earthquake of San Francisco.

HASSELL expects its design strategy to be flawless, which is why assistance was sought from a number of sources: Competent design firms, public officials, experts and even the locals all contributed in one way or another, either by assisting with the research involved in the strategy or by providing necessary and valuable information where required. Digital platforms have made this easier because it is another faster way for the people to make their voices heard on what facilities and structures they require the most. Feedback is as necessary as it is important.

Needed facilities for the San Francisco Bay Area - CLICK TO ENLARGE (MVRDV and HASSELL+)

The research concluded with findings that reveal faults in South San Francisco and possible design solutions for San Mateo County. More than that, the findings also made possible the creation of a network of public spaces that connect people and manage water. This network is intended to connect waterfront communities together and at the same time manage water in such events like floods.

Element Overview for the Resilient San Francisco Bay Area

Element overview for the resilient San Francisco Bay area - CLICK TO ENLARGE (MVRDV and HASSELL+)

Disaster elements - CLICK TO ENLARGE (MVRDV and HASSELL+)

Connectors - CLICK TO ENLARGE (MVRDV and HASSELL+)

By creating high streets, broad green spaces and creeks, more channels for the runoff and passage of water are opened, which is necessary, considering the congested nature of all waterfronts’ transport infrastructure. Along the same vein, the waterfront communities can serve as temporary shelters in the aftermath of disasters. Conversely, and during more civil times, these San Francisco waterfronts can double as celebration centers.

There has been a projection that by the year 2100, there will be a 66-inch rise in sea level of the San Francisco Bay area, which altogether makes the community-based solutions developed by HASSEL imperative. Rise in sea level is just one of the many compounding issues waterfront communities face. Tidal waves, severe storms, tsunamis, flooding, and earthquakes all pose great threats to life and property. It is needed to adapt to the impacts of climate change soon enough.

South San Francisco - CLICK TO ENLARGE (MVRDV and HASSELL+)

CLICK TO ENLARGE (MVRDV and HASSELL+)

HASSEL has initiated a plan that is targeted towards a single goal: the continuation and sustenance of lives and property. These waterfronts are to be transformed into public places that serve a multitude of purposes, all of them making possible more efficient means of surviving adverse climatic conditions.

Various computer programs facilitate the work of urban planners. Esri CityEngine, for instance, enables to analyze and compare building proposals from every angle and creates awesome 3D visualizations. Autodesk offers even more than one software solution. Autodesk InfraWorks, for example, supports transportation or site planning and even water analysis. Those interested in statistical data analysis are better advised with SAS/SPSS/STATA. It is, of course, also possible to decide for ArcGIS, Adobe Design Creative Suite, SketchUp, Maya, 3D Studio Max and so on and so forth. Is there a planning challenge which can’t be tackled with a certain software?

In some cases, surveying engineers are already replaced by drones

If no, what kind of software is recommended to replace a costly urban planner? You don’t take it very seriously? In this case, it’s worth remembering technical drawers with their outdated drawing boards – which may nowadays only be useful for museums. Another topical example are surveying engineers. More and more, they get replaced by drones. They are excellent for mapping roads, highways, and railway infrastructures – drones can in many ways do the job faster, cheaper and safer than surveying engineers.

However, urban planners will assuredly not be redundant overnight. Instead, it is much more a question of how many and which working packages will be replaced by algorithms and robots in the future. The imitation of human behavior with a much better performance through artificial intelligence has been already showcased in a number of certain tasks.

The next step is to teach machines to do the same thing

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It’s official. When it comes to solving complex problems, a smart human is still able to find better solutions than a machine. What’s the magic ingredient? It turns out that the missing talent that could make planning algorithms more efficient is linear temporal logic says a group of MIT researchers.

The group presented its findings at the annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, and the work will be ongoing. Now that we know why people are better at solving complex problems, the next step is to teach machines to do the same thing.

The researchers have begun their work with automated planning algorithms that can help with problems such as efficient flight route planning, saving fuel, reducing fight time, and maximizing the number of passengers on each plane. The principles used to do this could then be applied to other forms of complex problem-solving.

How the New Planning Algorithms Fared With Input From MIT Students

To test the performance of International Planning Competition (IPC) award-winning planning algorithms, the researchers pitted them against MIT students with high-level problem-solving skills. Three classes of problem-solving were tested: the ability to solve a problem while satisfying a rigid set of constraining factors, numerical problems with parameters that include a degree of flexibility, and temporal problems that added a time-based element to the exercise.

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Both the algorithms and the MIT students were given half an hour to produce a solution. When evaluating the student’s solutions, the researchers interviewed them, observing that linear temporal logic was widely used to add constraints that had not been specified when the problem was initially defined.

By adding these constraints to the code, the plans produced by algorithms were substantially improved, with researchers identifying a 10 to 16 percent improvement in the planning algorithm’s ability to solve the various types of problems, and the researchers noted that the solutions were much closer to those that had been calculated by human beings.

“In the lab, in other investigations, we’ve seen that for things like planning and scheduling and optimization, there’s usually a small set of people who are truly outstanding at it,” says Julie Shah, an assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. “Can we take the insights and the high-level strategies from the few people who are truly excellent at it and allow a machine to make use of that to be better at problem-solving than the vast majority of the population?”

Talk to the Machine: Turning Strategies into Code

Since situations requiring help from planning algorithms are affected by a multitude of factors, high-level strategies used in problem solving would vary. But with natural language processing techniques having reached an advanced level, the MIT researchers believe that a free-form description of a problem-solving strategy could be transformed into the kind of linear temporal logic that makes sense to an algorithm. The hope-for result? Improved planning algorithms that will make use of the best both human and machine logic can contribute.

The so-called application of a multi-barrier system approaches the problem in a number of ways

The team around the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project in New York is growing. CH2M, a consulting firm in Colorado, USA, is chosen by New York’s City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) to support upcoming design activities in the development, approval and implementation phases.

The East Side Coastal Resiliency project is a result of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. After this disastrous flooding, higher demands were voiced to increase flood protection and resiliency. Thus, as a mitigation measure, this integrated coastal protection system is intended to protect against future floods. Additionally, the project should be accompanied by a fundamental redesign of the waterfront with open access and offer additional recreational spaces for everybody.

Construction start for the East Side Coast Resiliency Project is planned for late 2017

CH2M’s Project Manager Jonathan Goldstick states: “Our engineers have been working on the City’s waterfront for more than 35 years and have extensive experience addressing sea level rise and climate adaptation. We’re looking forward to partnering with the DDC to integrate flood protection into the community fabric of Manhattan.”

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The coastal project starts from Montgomery Street and ends at East 25th Street in Lower Manhattan. In order to strengthen New York’s coastal defenses against flooding, sea level rise and other climate-related hazards, different physical and social resiliency measures will come into play. This so-called application of a multi-barrier system approaches the problem in a number of ways. Various (=multi) types of measures (=barrier) will either eliminate or minimize their impact.

Planned floodwalls, marginally moved towards inland, leave the park open and provide larger capacities to store water in case of a flood.

Planted embankments provide green and recreational space.

Vigorous plants on the embankment’s surface protect against flood erosion.

Plants and trees will also be robust against salt water.

Apart from the protective characteristics, public space, outdoor gathering, and waterfront accessibility are still all in focus. Furthermore, it is intended to ensure the access to the parks and coastal sections. Only during the construction period, the access will understandably be limited. Expenditures for design and construction will be funded by a federal grant of $335 million compiled by the city, state, and federal agencies.

Building Energy Model simulates energy use in a 200-by-200-meter grid for the City of Boston

A citywide building energy model for Boston has been developed by researchers at the MIT Sustainable Design Lab (SDL) and the MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) as cooperation partner. According to MIT, the new tool enables to plan the energy future of Boston on an unprecedented scale and spatiotemporal detail. It calculates the needed gas and electrical energy for each individual building (about 92,000 total) in Boston with a time resolution of one hour, one day or a year. “Nobody has ever modeled a city the size of Boston at this level of detail,” Reinhart says. “It’s also the first time that these data are being used by a city to guide energy policy decisions.”

As announced by the City of Boston and the BRA, the new building energy model is an integral part of the Boston Community Energy Study. It supports stakeholders and decision-makers to figure out saving potentials and opportunities regarding greenhouse gas emissions, energy demand and costs in Boston.

“Community energy solutions such as targeted energy efficiency, district energy, microgrids, local energy generation, and energy storage represent an opportunity to fundamentally change the way our energy system works,” says Austin Blackmon, chief of energy, environment, and open space for Boston, “but to get there we need a better understanding of the existing system and a way to identify the most promising solutions.”

One important aim of the model is the identification of more holistic solutions instead of isolated analyses of buildings. For example, photovoltaic systems, battery storages, ground source heat pumps, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems outside of a building, adjacent buildings or sites across Boston, are taken into consideration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce costs. “If you have a building consuming a lot of electricity at certain hours, you need buildings around them that can use that waste heat,” Cerezo says. “Our model is built for figuring out where those things happen.”

In order to process the data and develop the model, the approximately 92,000 buildings in Boston have been classified in 48 different building types. Furthermore, twelve use categories were specified to distinguish the different characteristics influencing supply and demand of energy over the time. The geographic information systems dataset of Boston with its building geometry, property tax assessment records, and the several types of parcel use are also taken into account.

Building Energy Model for Lisbon and Riyadh currently being developed

According to Reinhart and Cerezo, their decision-making tool is designed to focus on problem areas, for example, peak electricity demands of buildings on hot summer days, and to identify worthwhile saving opportunities.

“Every city has long-term goals,” Cerezo, a PhD student in the Building Technology Program, says. “But nobody knows exactly how to plan for and measure them. With this model, the city has a map to help them target and reach those goals.”

The SDL team is not confined to any borders and now working on new models for Lisbon (Portugal) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). They are also validating their Boston model by comparing the calculated results with the real energy consumption. “We’ll do this using any building-level energy dataset that we can get our hands on, so the models become more and more accurate,” Reinhart pledges. “Ultimately, our goal is for every city in the world to rely on a citywide energy model to meaningfully manage its future energy supply and carbon emissions.”

The new Rail Corridor will include a kaleidoscope of several user experiences

Open space and fallow land in a city or its outskirts are wonderful opportunities to create something new with comparatively few restrictions. It gives free rein to the imagination. In the following an example from real life.

Between 30 November 2011 and 9 March 2012, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of conducted its “Journey of Possibilities” – Ideas Competition for the Rail Corridor seeking ideas from the public of Singapore on what they though should become of the 24 km-long decommissioned Rail Corridor, spanning the entire nation of Singapore. Formerly the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Railway Line, it was built in 1903 to transport goods like rubber and tin.

More than 100 years later, on 30 June 2011, the last train departed from the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in the south. Following on from this extensive public consultation process, and having established the Rail Corridor Partnership to explore and promote community activities along the Rail Corridor, on 18 March 2015 the URA launched the ”Rail Corridor – An Inspired and Extraordinary Community Space” Request for Proposal (RFP), inviting design professionals from all over the world to develop a Concept Master Plan and Concept Proposals for the 24 km-long Rail Corridor. 64 teams responded with their submissions in the Stage 1 Pre-Qualification exercise that closed on 15 April 2015 with the Evaluation Panel shortlisting five teams to proceed to the second Stage.

The Rail Corridor is a 24-kilometre long former railway line that stretches the entire breadth of Singapore, from north to south (Nikken)

The five teams’ proposals were assessed by a 12-member Evaluation Panel chaired by Mr. Ng Lang, Chief Executive Officer of URA, on the quality and strength of their design principles and concept designs towards achieving the Planning and Design Goals for the Rail Corridor. Besides assessing the robustness and feasibility of their design methodologies and proposals, the Evaluation Panel also paid particular attention to the effectiveness and creativity of the proposals in integrating the 24 km Rail Corridor with its diverse surroundings to benefit the surrounding communities and offer differentiated experiences to Singaporeans.

Lines of Life is a people-centric spine that stitches the nation with a collection of lives – Click to enlarge (Nikken)

The Evaluation Panel awarded the Concept Master Plan on 9 November 2015 to the design team comprising Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei Ltd, local landscape firm Tierra Design and local engineering firm Arup Singapore Pte Ltd, together with other supporting firms. According to URA, their proposal, titled “Lines of Life”, they were able to strengthen the Rail Corridor’s identity, connectivity, landscape and heritage, while providing a more inclusive and vibrant public space that offers a great variety of quality experiences and activities for different segments of the population.

The Station Garden accommodates amenities like a bicycle station, and a café, as well as spaces for larger events like the Green Corridor Run within a lush, green environment (Nikken)

The team developed a clear vision and mission statement for the Rail Corridor, supported by a comprehensive set of planning objectives and strategies that serve as guiding principles for the design and programming of the Corridor. Their plan makes life on the Rail Corridor an enjoyable experience. It includes a kaleidoscope of user experiences and activities along 10 nodes and 8 distinctive stretches that depict the Corridor’s different landscapes and characters. Each node strikes a balance between the built environment and greenery.

Mr Wataru TANAKA, Director of the Integrated Public Design Studio, at NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD said, “We approached this design opportunity, not merely as a landscape design assignment but more as a ‘Public Space Design’ project, where we consciously took the design approach to integrate the communities that the Rail Corridor touches into the design itself to make a truly meaningful public asset within a broader urban context. To this end we undertook a specifically coordinated team effort for public design where the broad consulting resources of Nikken Sekkei in Urban planning & Design, Landscape and build environment design have been fully integrated and supplemented with the knowledge and skills of our local Singapore based team members to provide a clear vision and execution plan for an immensely complex design task. I think this was essential to our success.”